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Rags to Riches, who defeated Horse of the Year Curlin to win the 2007 Belmont Stakes, was sidelined by a hairline fracture in her right front pastern suffered during the Gazelle Stakes at Belmont on Sept. 15. The Gazelle was her only defeat in six career starts.

Rags to Riches, who is owned by Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith, returned to training with Pletcher at Palm Beach Downs earlier this winter and was scheduled to have her third work Tuesday.

"It's the same injury, a hairline P1 fracture, and it just looked like it wasn't going to hold up," Pletcher said. "I wasn't happy with the way she galloped yesterday [Sunday], we took some additional X-rays, and after discussing the situation with Mr. Tabor, we agreed it wasn't worth the risk of continuing on with her."

Pletcher said Rags To Riches will be bred to Giant's Causeway later this spring.

So who's surprised?

Don't fall for a girl who fell for a horse just to be number two in her world... ~EFO

Well I'm not surprised...but I have to say I did expect her to race again. The connections seemed to have every intention of bringing her back (ie, she was in training). There's much to be cynical about in the TB world, but I do try to take some things at face value. And since I didn't foresee that she would be injured, I also didn't foresee an early retirement.

Not suprised either but after all the talk before and after the Belmont about how the owners race for the fans etc etc (I'm sure you all remember), this sure makes all that talk BS. On the other hand, she did re-injure that thing, so what can you do? Oh well, to me, she'll just be another flash in the pan, ala Smarty. Too bad

Not surprised, but it is still a letdown. It makes you not want to get excited about a talented horse, because most of them don't stay around past their three-year-old year. That's why it is such a treat that Curlin is running this year. We should all write thank-you notes to Jess Jackson.

With all due respect to those of you who are so critical of the owners and trainer, the horse apparently is not sound. If you owned her, would you tell Pletcher to just ice the ankle, give her plenty of bute, and run her sore?

With all due respect to those of you who are so critical of the owners and trainer, the horse apparently is not sound.

If I sounded critical of Pletcher, et al let me be clear - I'm not with respect to the decision not to run her and retire her.

What I am saying is that I've always thought deep down since she came out injured in September was that she was done there and then. No need to draw it out and play games suggesting she'll return. I've always thought that was a hollow sentiment and it only became that much more of a farce as time went on.

I think they've observed the ire of fans with regards to early retirement and how others are praised for keeping horses going. So they held off her retirement. Yet the must've known she'd never perform again as she did at the Belmont. Another loss would (aside from further injury) only going to continue to take the luster off that historic, monumental, and inspiring duel against Curlin.

Re-read my posting (#3) above with the quotes from Pletcher a month ago. He knew then she wasn't going to return to racing. Her final workout was simply for public relations.

With all due respect to those of you who are so critical of the owners and trainer, the horse apparently is not sound. If you owned her, would you tell Pletcher to just ice the ankle, give her plenty of bute, and run her sore?

I can't speak for everyone, but I'm not "critical" per se. Of course nobody wants them racing an unsound horse.

But this is not a life or death injury we're dealing with. Nor is it a career ending injury. Even if she is ever so slightly NQR on it now (which I doubt), a little more time and it would be good as gone.

However, there's that risk that Rags might not run back at her previous level. Heaven forbid she gets beat again and deflates her record, even slightly. Especially when she could be on the farm producing one more foal that will sell for 6 figures.

Racing is barely about the races anymore, but rather the race to the breeding shed and sales ring. And that's not Pletcher or Tabor's fault necessarily. But it is very frustrating for the fans when this happens again, and again, and again...

Don't fall for a girl who fell for a horse just to be number two in her world... ~EFO

If they had really planned to retire her with no 2008 campaign, they would have sent her to the farm last fall to let down, bred her February 15, and she'd be in foal now. By industry standards she is retiring really late in the breeding season, and if they can't get her in foal in the next 3-4 weeks I'd bet they'll let her go until the 2009 breeding season anyway.

While it is sad she won't be returning to racing- lets all look at the broghter side of things that these trainers didn't push this filly to do more than her legs could handle. At least they arn't going to risk her life on the track on a fragile leg like many trainers do trying to squeeze out every last dollar, instead she'll live a happy retirement making foals. Happy retirement!

the slightest fracture to any animals leg isn't every going tobe just "good a new" especially when your dealing with the demand racing has on a horse's legs. I can only imagine if this filly had a life or death situation after returning to racing and hearing everyone complain about how sad that story could've been. Its for the better and she deserves it.